WeChathttp://www.adweek.com/taxonomy/term/18607/all
enYoung Protesters in Hong Kong Have Found an Ingenious Way Around Cyber Censorshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/young-protesters-hong-kong-have-found-ingenious-way-around-cyber-censors-160520
Robert Mann<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/phone-light-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
As Hong Kong&#39;s &quot;Umbrella Revolution&quot; enters a dangerous phase, government censors are clamping down on social media sites used to communicate images of the protest to mainland China.</p>
<p>
Thousands of young pro-democracy activists, camped out under umbrellas <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hong-kong-protests/very-civil-disobedience-inside-hong-kongs-umbrella-revolution-n215796" target="_blank">to ward off humidity and tear gas</a>, filled the streets and surrounded government buildings today. And as the mainland government and police <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/world/asia/hong-kong-protests.html?_r=1" target="_blank">warn of chaos</a> unless the protestors give up their demands, there also is a battle being fought in the digital trenches.</p>
<p>
First <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29411270" target="_blank">Instagram</a> was apparently banned Tuesday, when mainland users couldn&#39;t access the site. Now there are reports that China&#39;s largest mobile messaging app, <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1607452/wechat-allegedly-censoring-photos-hong-kong-protests" target="_blank">WeChat</a>, is also being blocked.&nbsp;Until now, WeChat was not censored in Hong Kong, reports The South China Morning Post. But the Occupy Central protest marks the first time Hong Kong users have experienced blocked posts, although, the publication says a few protest images made it past the censors.</p>
<p>
The BBC is also reporting that messages posted to Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo are censored.</p>
<p>
But just as Tiananmen Square protestors used faxes to communicate with the outside world in 1989, millennial activists in modern Central Hong Kong have found ways around the censors.</p>
<p>
They&#39;ve begun using the American-made <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-29411159" target="_blank">FireChat app</a>, which allows smartphone users to talk to one another out of the range of censors through a fast-moving messaging service commonly used at crowded events like concerts or out-of-range locations like subway tunnels. (Or, in this case, occupied streets.)</p>
<p>
FireChat users communicate with one another over Apple iOS7&#39;s Multipeer Connectivity Framework, which essentially connects phones without WiFi or Internet. And it works even if mobile phone service is down. San Francisco-based Open Garden makes the app, and its CEO told the BBC that 100,000 new accounts in Hong Kong were created within 24 hours.</p>
<p>
The app messages are public and anyone can join the conversation, including mainland Chinese, who some student protestors claim are spreading misinformation and abusive posts. There are also reports that mainland cyberspies have <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/security-it/sophisticated-trojan-virus-targets-hk-protesters-iphones-20140930-10ofb5.html" target="_blank">targeted iPhone users</a> with a virus called Xsser, which can steal text messages, photos, call logs, passwords and other data.</p>
<p>
The activists also are using <a href="http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/flying-drones-capture-dramatic-scale-hong-kong-occupy-central-protests-video-1467653" target="_blank">drones</a> to get aerial protest videos to social media outlets. Digital warfare aside, the message is clear: They&#39;ll use any available technology to tell the world they want Hong Kong&#39;s chief executive to resign.&nbsp;</p>
TechnologyAppleApplecensorshipChinaHong KongRobert ManniPhone appWeChatThu, 02 Oct 2014 15:20:31 +0000160520 at http://www.adweek.comFunny or Die Reveals 10 Percent of Its Kik Fans Click on Video Messageshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/funny-or-die-reveals-10-percent-its-kik-fans-click-video-messages-159567
Garett Sloane<p>
Funny or Die found a new way to boost video views. All it takes is a little Kik&mdash;help from the messaging apps&#39; new <a href="http://kik.com/promoted-chats-now-on-kik/" target="_blank">Promoted Chats product.</a> The digital comedy crew at <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/" target="_blank">Funny or Die,</a> co-founded by Will Ferrell, said it is getting a 10 percent click rate on videos it sends through the messaging app to its fan base, grown with the new paid marketing product.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="float: right;margin: 15px 0px 15px 15px;">
<img src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/funny-or-die-01-2014.jpg" /></div>
<p>
It is among a handful of brands testing Kik Messenger&#39;s ad product, which lets marketers promote their accounts, accumulate contacts and connect with them.</p>
<p>
Now, Funny or Die has more than a million Kik followers, about the same as it has on Tumblr. One in 10 are clicking on messages that encourage followers to &quot;check out this video.&quot;</p>
<p>
&quot;I&#39;ve been around this space a long time, and I&#39;ve never seen that kind of number,&quot; said Patrick Starzan, vp of marketing and business development at Funny or Die.</p>
<p>
When the humor site posts videos to Facebook or Twitter, by comparison, about 0.5 percent of people who see the link actually click, Starzan said.</p>
<p>
The Kik ad tests show that <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">messaging can be a powerful marketing medium</a> as users spend more time on these apps, including Snapchat, WhatsApp, Line, WeChat and Tango.</p>
<p>
Kik, founded in 2009, is a quiet, high-ranking force in the app charts with more than 150 million registered users. It has some big-name investors, including Union Square Ventures, and it last raised money in April 2013&mdash;$20 million. The messaging space has been flush with cash since then, which could mean Kik is in line for more financing.</p>
<p>
This year, Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion, and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-tango-raises-280-million-156415" target="_blank">Tango raised $280 million,</a> mostly from China&#39;s e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.</p>
<p>
The messaging rivals are coming up with their own modes of generating revenue to support all this investor confidence&mdash;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/disneys-frozen-coming-messaging-apps-sticker-form-158049" target="_blank">Line sells stickers,</a> WeChat experiments with e-commerce. Many platforms are handling overt advertising with care, however, because brands can be intrusive to users who just want to talk with friends.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/advertisings-new-frontier-talk-to-the-bot-1406493740" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal said</a> Kik&#39;s Promoted Chats represent a new form of bot advertising, letting marketers set automated messages to mass communicate in a way that seems one-on-one. It&#39;s been called &quot;chatvertising.&quot;</p>
<p>
Treading lightly, Funny or Die sends out a message twice a week on Kik, as opposed to six to eights posts a day on Facebook and Twitter, Starzan said.</p>
<p>
Once a brand accumulates Kik followers through paid Promoted Chats, it gets to message its fan base eight times a month for free, he said.</p>
<p>
&quot;Anything else, you pay for,&quot; he said, revealing a model that is similar to Facebook, where marketers buy a following and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/starwoods-crazy-facebook-roi-and-5-other-surprising-brand-reveals-156674" target="_blank">support community outreach with a paid strategy.</a>&nbsp;A maximum of eight free messages was agreed upon during the testing phase, but the number could change when the ad product ultimately launches.</p>
<p>
Heather Galt, a vp at Kik, said six brands have tested Promoted Chats, which launched last month. Nearly 3 million Kik users viewed Promoted Chats and opted to communicate with one of the brands, she said, including the million that tapped Funny or Die.</p>
<p>
&quot;In the first week, 18 million messages were sent and received,&quot; she said.</p>
<p>
The other early Kik marketers include Moviefone, DoSomething.org, Cambio and Wattpad.</p>
<p>
Brands also are building mini-websites optimized for running inside Kik. For instance, last year the boy band <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/one-direction-unveils-best-kik-campaign-ever-154164" target="_blank">One Direction launched a Kik-optimized page,</a> and since then more than 500 pages have been created, making Kik a mobile hub.</p>
<p>
Galt said the combination of Kik-optimized pages and Promoted Chats are creating new ways for brands to push media and promotions. The app also has a place for sponsored positions in the search bar where users look for Kik pages. And there is a &quot;featured&quot; position within the top sites tab, another potential place for brands to promote their presence.</p>
<p>
&quot;We see multiple opportunities on the platform with Kik-optimized Web pages, top sites and limited advertising,&quot; Galt said. &quot;And we&#39;re building more.&quot;</p>
TechnologyFacebookFunny or DieGroup messagingInstant MessagingkikGarett Sloanemessaging appsMobilemobile messagingmobile messaging appnew adnew ad productnew adsSnapchatSocialsponsored adssponsored contentTangoTumblrTwitterWeChatWhatsAppWill FerrellMon, 18 Aug 2014 20:39:23 +0000159567 at http://www.adweek.comThe Top 10 Messaging Apps by User Base and Revenuehttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/top-10-messaging-apps-user-base-and-revenue-158773
Lauren Johnson<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/line.jpg"> <p>
A new report from Forrester Research gives marketers an interesting perspective on the quick growth of messaging apps in the past year. Whether or not that translates into solid revenue strategies for many is still up for debate though.</p>
<p>
Forrester&rsquo;s new <a href="http://www.forrester.com/Messaging+Apps+Mobile+Becomes+The+New+Face+Of+Social/fulltext/-/E-RES116204?intcmp=blog:forrlink&amp;isTurnHighlighting=false&amp;highlightTerm=husson" target="_blank">&quot;Messaging Apps: Mobile Becomes the New Face of Social&quot;</a>&nbsp;report outlines the user base and revenue numbers from 10 apps: WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Skype, Nimbuzz, WeChat, KakaoTalk, Instagram, Tango and Facebook Messenger. Despite some of the high numbers that these apps are collecting individually, the majority of them aren&rsquo;t tapping into their full revenue opportunities, per Forrester.</p>
<p>
<strong>By the numbers</strong><br />
While the size of each messaging app is already public knowledge, the report gives an interesting perspective that shows how specific apps stack up to each other.</p>
<p>
Facebook-owned WhatsApp claims 500 million users, followed by Line with 420 million. The social giant&rsquo;s other messaging properties, Instagram and Facebook Messenger, pull in 200 million users.</p>
<p>
Tencent&rsquo;s WeChat has 355 million subscribers, and Viber and Skype each reach 300 million users. The report also notes Tango (with 200 million subscribers), Nimbuzz (claiming 150 million users) and KakaoTalk (which rakes in 140 million subscribers) as other players in this space.</p>
<p>
<strong>Raking in the money</strong><br />
Despite the opportunities for monetization, only three out of the 10 apps had quantified revenue models.</p>
<p>
Within the apps making money, Line dominates the mobile messaging space. The app (which has steadily been <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-line-seeks-us-ad-agencies-help-spread-word-156801" target="_blank">moving into the U.S. from Asia</a>) generated $335 million in revenue during 2013, driven largely from the sales of sponsored stickers.</p>
<p>
KakaoTalk is one to watch, too. Despite its small user base, it was the second highest-grossing app in the report with $204 million in revenue from in-app games and upgrades.</p>
<p>
Six of the apps were new to developing app monetization strategies. For example, Viber launched a sticker market in November and Tango partnered with <a href="http://www.mopub.com/2013/12/12/introducing-native-ads/" target="_blank">Twitter&rsquo;s MoPub in December</a>.</p>
<p>
WhatsApp was the only app referenced without marketing or advertising offerings, but with 59 percent of Facebook&rsquo;s revenue coming from mobile during the first-quarter of this year, the social giant&#39;s acquisition <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">earlier this year</a> likely includes big plans in integrating ads into the app. Instagram&#39;s sponsored photos are still new to the app, but appear to be driving some successful campaigns for brands like <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/instagram-ads-are-getting-instant-recall-157595" target="_blank">Taco Bell and Hollister</a>.&nbsp;</p>
Technologyfacebook messengerForresterinstagram adsKakaoTalkLineLauren JohnsonMobilemobile messagingNimbuzzSkypeTangoviberWeChatWhatsAppMon, 07 Jul 2014 20:47:20 +0000158773 at http://www.adweek.com14 Digital Trends on Kleiner Perkins' Venture Capital Radarhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/14-digital-trends-kleiner-perkins-venture-capital-radar-2014-157987
Garett Sloane<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/snapchat-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Snapchat and WhatsApp both account for 700 million photos shared daily. The average Google user is six times more valuable than the average Facebook user. Buzzfeed is big on Facebook but not as big on Twitter, where BBC is the top media brand. And 25 percent of global Internet use is on mobile, but only 4 percent of ad dollars is.</p>
<p>
These are just some of the key Web trends that Mary Meeker of VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield &amp; Byers shared at Re/Code&rsquo;s conference today. Here is part of the 164-page State of the Internet report and what the top investment firm is looking at when it makes its billion-dollar bets on the future:</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="float: right;margin: 10px 0px 10px 15px;">
<img class="fancyzoom" data-fancybox-src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/screen-shot-2014-05-28-at-12.02.34-pm.jpg" src="/files/imagecache/test-width/screen-shot-2014-05-28-at-12.02.34-pm.jpg" />
<p class="caption">
&nbsp;</p>
</div>
<p>
<strong>Messaging services</strong></p>
<p>
They&rsquo;re called <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">&ldquo;over the top&rdquo; messaging services,</a> a category that includes Snapchat, WhatsApp, Line, We Chat, Viber and KakaoTalk. In less than five years, a billion people will be using them.</p>
<p>
<strong>Snapchat</strong><br />
The app serves 1.2 billion messages a day (700 million &ldquo;snaps&rdquo; and 500 million <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/snapchat-video-chat-already-brands-agendas-157462" target="_blank">Snapchat</a> &ldquo;stories.&rdquo;) WhatsApp users share 50 billion a day and Line users (big in Japan) share 10 billion.</p>
<p>
<strong>Facebook&rsquo;s photo play</strong><br />
Why did Facebook pay $1 billion for Instagram and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">$19 billion for WhatsApp</a>?&nbsp;Because it now controls more than 1.1 billion photos shared daily between the three services, compared to Snapchat&rsquo;s 700 million.</p>
<p>
<strong>Web trends</strong><br />
A look at emerging players shows that Snapchat and Twitter&rsquo;s Vine now have an equal number of monthly unique visitors, more than 20 million. This year, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and Instagram have seen a downtick in monthly users, according to comScore. Snapchat users were increasing as of February.</p>
<p>
<strong>Mobile</strong><br />
On mobile, apps still dominate in revenue, over advertising. In 2013, mobile revenue totaled $38 billion, and less than $15 billion came from advertising.</p>
<p>
<strong>Mobile ad potential</strong><br />
20 percent of media consumption in the U.S. is on mobile, but only 4 percent of ad dollars are allocated there. Kleiner Perkins calls that a nearly $30 billion opportunity.</p>
<p>
<strong>Google, Facebook and Twitter</strong><br />
Google is killing Facebook and Twitter when it comes to the amount of money it makes from each user. Average revenue per Google user is $45, the average for a Facebook user is $7.24, and the average on Twitter is $3.55.</p>
<p>
<strong>Desktop versus mobile</strong><br />
Global Internet advertising was $116 billion last year, more than $100 billion of which went to desktop. However, 25 percent of Web usage is on mobile now.</p>
<p>
<strong>Facebook publishers</strong><br />
The top three&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/what-advertisers-need-know-about-facebooks-mobile-ad-network-157389" target="_blank">Facebook publishers</a> by number of shares, comments and Likes: Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and ABC News.</p>
<p>
<strong>Twitter publishers</strong><br />
The top three Twitter publishers by number of shares: BBC, New York Times and Mashable</p>
<p>
<strong>Buzzfeed phenomenon</strong><br />
130 million monthly visitors, 50 percent mobile, 75 percent social, 50 percent ages 18 to 34.</p>
<p>
<strong>Tinder dating</strong><br />
The <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/how-one-guy-wooed-2000-women-tinder-156989" target="_blank">dating app</a> makes 11 million matches of men and women a day, up 21 percent year over year.</p>
<p>
<strong>Digital music</strong><br />
In 2013, digital track sales declined 6 percent to 1.3 billion tracks, the first ever down year. However, music streaming was up 32 percent, 118 billion songs last year, showing streaming services are in demand <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/7-concerns-about-apple-beats-deal-157587" target="_blank">(like Beats, which Apple is looking to buy).</a></p>
<p>
<strong>Social TV</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/twitter-s-2014-strategy-intersection-video-and-data-155067" target="_blank">Twitter&rsquo;s second screen strategy</a> is working for advertisers: 53 percent of TV viewers re-exposed to a brand&rsquo;s message on Twitter recalled the ad, while 40 percent of TV-only consumers recalled the ad. Similar boosts were experienced when asking about brand favorability and purchase intent.</p>
TechnologyBbcBuzzfeedDataFacebookGoogleGarett SloaneInstagramInternetInternet advertisingKleiner PerkinsKleiner Perkins Caufield & ByersMashablemessagingmessaging appsMobilemobile messagingmobile WebNew York TimesPinterestSilicon ValleySnapchatSnapchat StoriesSocialTrendsTumblrTwitterTwitterTwitter VineviberWeChatWhatsAppWed, 28 May 2014 18:10:57 +0000157987 at http://www.adweek.comAll Those Kik Pics From Strangers Will Now Be Blurredhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/all-those-kik-pics-strangers-will-now-be-blurred-157859
Garett Sloane<p>
Mobile messaging app Kik is giving users new controls to protect against unwanted anonymous advances, the company said today. The app will censor images from strangers to limit lewd content being shared by surprise, explained Heather Galt, Kik&rsquo;s head of marketing and safety.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="float: right;margin: 10px 0px 10px 15px;">
<img src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/kik-01-2014.jpg" /></div>
<p>
&ldquo;If you haven&rsquo;t talked to someone before, we&rsquo;re treating new conversations differently,&rdquo; Galt said. &ldquo;It felt like the logical next step.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
The app will blur all photos in messages when users who never interacted before contact each other for the first time. Users can only share unblurred images after they have both approved each other.</p>
<p>
Kik, based in Ontario, Canada, is approaching 150 million registered users, <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/tween-us/2013/11/what-parents-need-to-know-about-kik/" target="_blank">many of them teenagers,</a> Galt said. Young people&mdash;sometimes those too young for their own phones&mdash;use Kik mobile devices like iPods, because it doesn&rsquo;t require a number to join.</p>
<p>
Smartphone users like the app because it gives them a way to connect without handing over their numbers. Galt said that many users post their Kik contact info elsewhere online from Tumblr to Instagram so people they meet can message them.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;One of the biggest drivers for the app is that you should feel comfortable sharing your Kik username wherever you want,&rdquo; Galt said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s one of the benefits.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
However, revealing your Kik contact online means that strangers could send unsafe and explicit messages. Harassment and security concerns, always a part of the online community, have become heightened in the messaging space with the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">rise of apps like Snapchat, Line, Tango, WeChat and others.</a></p>
<p>
Galt did not reveal how many daily users Kik has, but she said 50 percent of Kik&rsquo;s daily users share photos. Kik also is combating spam on the platform, Galt said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news-gallery/technology/are-your-text-messages-too-boring-here-come-branded-virtual-stickers-save-day-155687#intro" target="_blank">Brands have been waking up to mobile apps </a>that introduce them to users. Today, Tango announced it would support brand channels for users to follow. Kik has opened its platform for brands and publishers to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/one-direction-unveils-best-kik-campaign-ever-154164" target="_blank">create mobile websites within the platform.</a></p>
Technologydaily active usersGroup messagingInstagramInstant MessagingkikGarett Sloanemessagingmessaging appsMobilemobile messagingSnapchatSpamTangotext messagingTumblrUsersWeChatTue, 20 May 2014 16:32:05 +0000157859 at http://www.adweek.comTango Messaging App Invites Brands to Hit Publishhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/tango-messaging-app-invites-brands-hit-publish-157848
Garett Sloane<p>
Messaging app Tango is following in the footsteps of competitors like BlackBerry Messenger with the launch of media channels users can follow. Tango Channels is still in testing and will be available early this summer, CTO Eric Setton told Adweek.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="float: right;margin: 10px 0px 10px 15px;">
<img src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/tango-01-2014.jpg" /></div>
<p>
Early media partners include Spotify and AOL&rsquo;s Huffington Post and TechCrunch, he said. There will be five channel categories: entertainment, news, lifestyle, sports and music, and about 50 media brands at launch, Setton said.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;The channels were designed with brands in mind to allow them to actually showcase their content to our members,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
Tango&mdash;known for messaging, gaming and music sharing&mdash;said there would be opportunities for brands to show ads in its channels. The app already <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/mopub-debuts-native-ads-twitter-ramps-its-marketing-products-154467" target="_blank">sells native ad space through Twitter&rsquo;s MoPub</a> mobile network, and they show up within users&rsquo; feeds.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Channels have that option as well to have ads interspersed through channel feeds and we will share in that revenue so it&rsquo;s actually a revenue generator for partners to have channels on Tango,&rdquo; said Jenn Caukin, a Tango rep.</p>
<p>
Brands own their channels and Tango would help them capitalize on their content, Setton said.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a marketing opportunity for the brands we&rsquo;re bringing on board to expose content to a large mobile community,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
Tango has 70 million monthly active users and 200 million registered users. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">It competes with WeChat </a>in China and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-line-seeks-us-ad-agencies-help-spread-word-156801" target="_blank">Line in Japan,</a> and 30 percent of its user base is in North America, according to the company.</p>
<p>
Another rival, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/blackberry-messenger-debuts-promoted-brands-and-sponsored-content-156510" target="_blank">BlackBerry Messenger, launched brand channels</a> in March to let publishers like Rolling Stone and Disney post content and sell ad space in feeds.</p>
<p>
In March, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-tango-raises-280-million-156415" target="_blank">Tango raised $280 million,</a> most of that coming from China&rsquo;s e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.&nbsp;</p>
TechnologyalibabaAlibaba GroupAolBBMBlackberryGarett SloaneBrands As Publisherscontent marketingGroup messagingHuffington PostInstant Messagingmessagingmessaging appsMobilemobile messagingMoPubSocialSpotifyTangoTechCrunchtext messagingTwitterWeChatTue, 20 May 2014 09:00:01 +0000157848 at http://www.adweek.comYahoo Buys Upstart Snapchat Rival Blinkhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/yahoo-buys-upstart-snapchat-rival-blink-157665
Garett Sloane<p>
Yahoo is buying its way into the discrete messaging craze with <a href="http://www.siliconbeat.com/2014/05/12/mea-report-yahoo-leads-for-2013/" target="_blank">another acquisition.</a> An app called Blink is Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer&rsquo;s latest takeover target.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="float: right;margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;">
<img src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/blink-01-2014.jpg" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" /></div>
<p>
Blink is a small startup with less than 100,000 downloads on the Google Play store. It grew out of a location-focused app called Kismet, which was developed at Meh Labs run by ex-Google employees.</p>
<p>
&quot;The entire team behind Blink and Kismet will be joining our mobile team in Sunnyvale [Yahoo&#39;s headquarters in California] where they will focus on smart communication products,&rdquo; a Yahoo rep said in a statement.</p>
<p>
Blink users were able to send texts and share photos, videos and music in a secretive way. The messages were timed before disappearing and encrypted.</p>
<p>
The app went up against an army of similar messaging platforms&mdash;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/snapchat-video-chat-already-brands-agendas-157462" target="_blank">Snapchat,</a> <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-line-seeks-us-ad-agencies-help-spread-word-156801" target="_blank">Line,</a> <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/one-direction-unveils-best-kik-campaign-ever-154164" target="_blank">Kik,</a> Tango, WeChat. Facebook paid $19 billion <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">for WhatsApp in February.</a></p>
<p>
Blink will shut down on the iPhone and Android phones.</p>
<p>
Mayer has made a number of acquisition bets in her two years at the helm of Yahoo and paid $1.1 billion for Tumblr last year. Tumblr, a visual blogging property, is making strides in mobile but was not built from the ground up that way.</p>
<p>
Yahoo also is trying to reimagine its ad business for mobile, and just introduced its <a href="http://yahoo.tumblr.com/post/85524832924/taking-a-mobile-first-approach-to-native-advertising" target="_blank">definitive ad unit designed for scrolling feeds</a>, not bottom-of-the-page banners.</p>
<p>
Blink announced its new Yahoo ownership in a blog post today, but the price of the deal was not disclosed.&nbsp;</p>
TechnologyAcquisitionacquisitionsFacebookfacebook acquisitionGroup messagingGarett Sloanekikmessagingmessaging appsMobileMobilemobile messagingTangotext messagingWeChatWhatsAppYahooWed, 14 May 2014 16:25:34 +0000157665 at http://www.adweek.comMessaging App Tango Raises $280 Millionhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/messaging-app-tango-raises-280-million-156415
Garett Sloane<p>
<img alt="" src="/files/Tango_Hay-Day-native-ad-01-2014.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 590px; float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" />Tango is the latest <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">messaging app</a> to attract big dollars, with Alibaba Group leading a fundraising round of $280 million. The Mountain View, Calif-company is among the growing mobile messaging apps with a strong emphasis on gaming and a user feed that shows native advertising.</p>
<p>
The app has 70 million active users. It also has a deal with Twitter&rsquo;s MoPub mobile exchange to sell advertising such as app-install messages.</p>
<p>
It competes with the likes of WhatsApp, WeChat, Line and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/one-direction-unveils-best-kik-campaign-ever-154164" target="_blank">Kik</a>. WhatsApp, with almost 600 million users, recently sold to Facebook in a <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">deal worth $19 billion</a>. Alibaba Group is the Chinese e-commerce giant in which Yahoo is a major investor. Yahoo&rsquo;s co-founder Jerry Yang, who is no longer officially attached to the company, was an early investor in Tango.</p>
<p>
Since its founding in 2009, the company raised $87 million. It offers mobile activities like messaging, gaming and music. In December, it partnered with Spotify, the music streaming service.</p>
<p>
Alibaba is set to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/17/chinas-alibaba-15bn-us-float-biggest-facebook" target="_blank">sell its stock publicly</a> in an offering that could rival Facebook&rsquo;s $16 billion raised on Wall Street in 2012. Alibaba contributed $215 million in Tango&rsquo;s fundraising round. Early investors participated as well, including Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Access Industries and Qualcomm Ventures.</p>
TechnologyalibabaAlibaba GroupFacebookFacebookGamingGarett SloaneInstant MessagingInvestmentsJerry Yangmessagingmessaging appsMobilemobile messagingMoPubnative adnative adsnative advertisingSocialSocial GamingTangotext messagingTwitterventure capitalWeChatWhatsAppYahooThu, 20 Mar 2014 14:39:33 +0000156415 at http://www.adweek.comThe Top 3 Social Messaging Apps Among Smartphone Usershttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/top-3-social-messaging-apps-among-smartphone-users-156043
Lucia Moses<p>
Facebook paid a staggering $19 billion for WhatsApp. While it trails Facebook as a messaging app in the United States, WhatsApp dwarfs Facebook in terms of monthly active users. Below, a look at WhatsApp usership around the world and a snapshot of users&#39; demographics.<img alt="" src="/files/data-messaging-02-2014.jpg" style="width: 652px; height: 3462px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" /></p>
<p>
<em>Infographic: Carlos Monteiro</em></p>
TechnologyBBMData Pointsfacebook messengergmailMagazine ContentLucia MosesSocial MediaTwitterWeChatWhatsAppWed, 05 Mar 2014 03:51:41 +0000156043 at http://www.adweek.comIs WhatsApp's 'No Ads' Policy Already Starting to Loosen?http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/whatsapps-no-ads-policy-already-starting-loosen-156090
Garett Sloane<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/jan-koum-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
WhatsApp is exploring a way to let brands message its 450 million-plus user base after all, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2014/03/04/inside-the-facebook-whatsapp-megadeal-the-courtship-the-secret-meetings-the-19-billion-poker-game/" target="_blank">according to a report today</a>. The largest text messaging platform, which <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">Facebook is buying for $19 billion</a>, has historically been a market-free zone.</p>
<p>
Co-founder Jan Koum, since starting the app in 2009, has spoken against any invasion of advertising. WhatsApp&rsquo;s motto is: No ads, no games, no gimmicks.</p>
<p>
Since Facebook announced a deal last month to buy WhatsApp, industry watchers have wondered how Mark Zuckerberg would see a return on his investment if the messaging app stuck to its no-advertising policy. Koum and Zuckerberg said that WhatsApp would continue to operate independently and remain true to the service that users have embraced.</p>
<p>
Today, a report from Forbes on the details of the acquisition suggested that WhatsApp has already explored marketing. An insider told Forbes that some brands could be allowed to message users with their permission. WhatsApp is considering charging brands like airlines and Uber, the tech car service, to message users, Forbes reported.</p>
<p>
It&rsquo;s the first indication that the app could loosen its no-advertising policies, and it wouldn&rsquo;t be the first time that a young tech company that <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/whatsapp-and-7-other-startups-hated-advertising-facebook-155849" target="_blank">rebelled against marketing grew into a tech company reliant on advertising.</a></p>
<p>
The mobile messaging space is full of rivals to WhatsApp like Kik, Line, WeChat and Tango. All are coming up with creative paths to monetization.</p>
<p>
Tango has introduced native ads, and Line makes 20 percent of its revenue selling virtual stickers. TextPride, which sells branded stickers on messaging platforms, recently announced a deal with Kik, Viber, GroupMe and Cubie.</p>
<p>
WhatsApp for now makes money from selling $1 yearly subscriptions to its no-frills messaging service. The first year is free, however, and there have been reports that the company only made $20 million in revenue last year.</p>
<p>
WhatsApp co-founders Koum and Brian Acton were late entrants into the 2014 Forbes billionaires list with $6.8 billion and $3 billion respectively following the sale of their company.</p>
Technology2014 billionaire listbrian actoncubieFacebookForbesGarett SloaneGroupMejan koumkikLineMark Zuckerbergmessagingmessaging appsMobileSocialTangotextprideUberviberWeChatWhatsAppTue, 04 Mar 2014 20:04:21 +0000156090 at http://www.adweek.comFacebook's New Message: Email Is Deadhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebooks-new-message-email-dead-155931
Garett Sloane<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/iphone-teenage-girl-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Facebook is so over email. The social network is shutting down its unpopular email service in yet another sign of the supremacy of mobile messaging.</p>
<p>
Facebook has all but declared the age of email irrelevant after buying the text-messaging app <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-buy-whatsapp-16b-155828" target="_blank">WhatsApp for $16 billion</a> (a deal worth $19 billion when stock awards are added). Instead of checking inboxes, mobile users check text messages and engage in real-time conversations.</p>
<p>
Facebook just pulled the plug on the email service that it once thought would satisfy users&rsquo; need for an inbox dedicated to friends, not work. Facebook launched the service in 2010, giving users an @facebook account. But it was never a robust offering like gmail or outlook and never really caught on with users. For those who did use their accounts, messages will now be forwarded to their primary email addresses.</p>
<p>
Facebook <a href="http://recode.net/2014/02/24/the-great-facebook-email-experiment-is-over/" target="_blank">told re/code</a> that it would focus more on messaging now that its email was out of the way.</p>
<p>
CEO Mark Zuckerberg struck a deal with WhatsApp last week to acquire the app&rsquo;s 450 million active users. Today in Barcelona, at Mobile World Congress, Zuckerberg touted his company&rsquo;s biggest acquisition to date.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/24/zuckerberg-says-whatsapp-deal-was-a-bargain/" target="_blank">Zuckerberg called WhatsApp a bargain</a>, because there are few networks with the potential to reach more than a billion users, and those networks were more valuable than $20 billion, he said.&nbsp;The latest crop of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">messaging apps&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">like Snapchat, WeChat, Line, Kik and Tango</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/branding-potential-behind-some-mobile-messaging-s-big-players-155421" target="_blank">have lit up the mobile world</a>, amassing tens of millions of users.</p>
<p>
Also at the Mobile World Congress today, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum announced that his team was working on adding voice to the service, which has focused on text messaging exclusively. Koum has said his company would remain independent from Facebook even after the acquisition is expected to be completed later this year.</p>
TechnologyFacebookFacebookfacebook servicesjan koumkikGarett SloaneMark Zuckerbergmessaging appsMobileSocialWeChatWhatsAppMon, 24 Feb 2014 23:11:28 +0000155931 at http://www.adweek.comOne Direction Unveils Best Kik Campaign Everhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/one-direction-unveils-best-kik-campaign-ever-154164
Garett Sloane<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/one-direction-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
One Direction, the UK boy band with <a href="http://www.idolator.com/7494769/one-direction-macys-perfume-commercial" target="_blank">perfectly mussed hair,</a> got the message about messaging apps.&nbsp;The group and its label Sony Music are reaching fans through a new campaign on <a href="http://kik.com/" target="_blank">Kik</a>, the Canadian mobile messaging service with 95 million registered users.</p>
<p>
Kik is similar to apps like <a href="http://line.naver.jp/en/" target="_blank">Line</a> (which&nbsp;reportedly has 280 million users),&nbsp;WhatsApp, WeChat and Facebook Messenger. Most are free apps designed to help mobile users avoid the heavy data charges typically incurred from text messages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/10/teenagers-messenger-apps-facebook-exodus" target="_blank">Messaging is seen as the next frontier for the youth market, </a>and brands are only now figuring out the best ways to engage in the medium, where ads are typically non-existent.</p>
<p>
Boy bands like One Direction fit the target audience on Kik, a spokesperson for the app company said.&nbsp;The young teen audience is heavily engaged with these services, which are finding a few paths to revenue, including deals with brands and the sale of virtual goods.&nbsp;Kids buy add-on content like <a href="http://www.trutower.com/2013/09/03/kik-messenger-update-version-660/" target="_blank">digital stickers</a>, which can be branded too, and they share the digital goods in their messages.</p>
<p>
One Direction is taking advantage of Kik&rsquo;s digital cards, which allow the group to share exclusive content and connect the band&rsquo;s fans on the platform.&nbsp;The Kik promotion, arranged through digital marketing firm IPG Media Lab, is part of One Direction&rsquo;s &ldquo;Midnight memories&rdquo; album release this week.<img alt="" src="/files/1d-message-01-2013.jpg" style="width: 271px; height: 480px; float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;margin-top: 10px;" /></p>
<p>
Even <a href="http://www.paulmccartney.com/news-blogs/news/27683-paul-opens-account-on-line" target="_blank">Paul McCartney has turned to messaging apps to promote music.</a> The former Beatle joined Line to promote his new album, and he has his own stickers.</p>
<p>
The boom in new mobile media is creating a challenge for brands and marketers, who need to come up with new ways to engage with audiences across a fragmented landscape. And even social media giants&nbsp;like Facebook also see a threat to business with the youth turning to new forms of mobile-centric communication.</p>
<p>
Facebook has pushed into this space,<a href="http://gigaom.com/2013/11/26/study-facebook-messenger-still-reigns-in-the-u-s-but-other-countries-look-to-whatsapp/" target="_blank"> but there are concerns that the social network&rsquo;s users are not as receptive </a>to instant messaging through the platform. The company is&nbsp;working on new ways for users to message through Instagram. The social network <a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/06/27/instagrams-messenger-pivot/" target="_blank">could unveil new messaging capabilities</a> this year.</p>
<p>
You only need to look at apps like Kik to see why.&nbsp;</p>
TechnologyFacebookfacebook messengerfacebook teensfb teensGroup messagingGarett SloaneInstant MessagingkikLinemessagingMobileOne DirectionteenagersTeenstext messagingWeChatWhatsAppTue, 26 Nov 2013 22:21:01 +0000154164 at http://www.adweek.com